This invention relates to an apparatus for regrouping flat articles, particularly confectionery items such as biscuits or cookies from a first conveyor to a second conveyor.
In the mass manufacture of flat confectionery items, a continuous baking oven continuously discharges the baked articles in a flat-lying orientation on a conveyor belt in a large number of columns. After emerging from the baking oven, the articles are cooled and are advanced by further conveyor devices to packing machines. Upstream of the packing machines, the articles are grouped into stacks containing a predetermined number of articles. Frequently, however, differences appear between the articles forming the different columns. Thus, for example, the baked articles in the edge zones are often baked more than the others. Also, weight differences between the articles of the individual columns may occur. If the articles are packaged in small quantities, one package may contain only articles baked to a greater extent while in another package only articles baked to a lesser extent can be found, and thus the net weight may fluctuate significantly from package to package. In order to avoid such an occurrence, it is advantageous to ensure that each article stack has an article from each column.
Accordingly, European Patent Document No. 230,293 discloses an arrangement which provides that the baked articles delivered on a conveyor belt are grasped with suction grippers secured to a suction conveyor belt. Underneath the suction conveyor belt an additional conveyor belt extends transversely to the conveying direction of the first conveyor belt. When several rows of articles, held by the suction grippers, have arrived above the second conveyor belt, a plunger mechanism couples the respective suction grippers to a pneumatic pressure source, whereupon the articles drop onto the second conveyor belt. Thus, the article columns formed on the second belt are article rows on the first belt. Each column of the second belt thus receives articles from all the columns of the first belt. While by virtue of the described prior art construction a desired mixing of columns may be achieved, it is a precondition that the articles be delivered on the first conveyor belt in identical spacing which, however, is often not the case. It is a further disadvantage of the prior art arrangement that the suction and pressure device generates substantial dust clouds.
Further apparatuses for the regrouping of articles are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,987 and Swiss Patent No. 657,829.